Enjoy Northwestern arts at home

Social distancing and shelter-at-home requirements have curtailed spring’s in-person music, art and theater offerings, but Northwestern and Chicago audiences have a wide variety of options to enjoy Northwestern University’s vibrant arts scene from their living rooms.

The outstanding musicianship of the Bienen School of Music’s talented students can be experienced through the Davee Media Library. Stream state-of-the-art video recordings of nearly 100 archived events including student orchestra (pictured above), band, jazz, new music and vocal ensemble concerts, opera productions and student and faculty recitals. The library also features interviews, master classes and performances by world-renowned guest artists.

Imagine U, the popular series of plays for families, comes to your living room through the new video series "Imagine U Storytime." Beginning April 19, faculty, students and alums from the theatre for young audiences program will present a new 15 minute program of songs and stories each week that can be accessed on the new Wirtz Center YouTube channel.

Wirtz Center’s Stage on Screen series has long been a North Shore Chicago destination for the acclaimed National Theatre Live program. For a decade, National Theatre Live has captured the best of London theater on film for screening in movie theaters worldwide.

Beginning Thursday, April 2 at 2 p.m. “National Theatre at Home” will offer free access to previously screened productions on the National Theatre’s YouTube channel. Each title is available to stream for seven days. Productions include “One Man, Two Guvnors” featuring a Tony Award-winning performance by James Corden (pictured) and Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” featuring British comedy actress Tamsin Greig as Malvolia. Visit National Theatre at Home for the weekly schedule.

The athleticism and grace of Northwestern dance students are showcased in 'Things That Matter,' the 2020 edition of Danceworks. Watch the Danceworks video playlist for for new pieces created by guest choreographers Miguel Angel Gamero Ortega and Nicole Clarke-Springer and Northwestern dance facultyJeffery Hancock and Joel Valentín-Martinez.

Pining for a field trip to one of Chicago’s best art museums? Virtually visit Northwestern’s Block Museum of Art through the Collection Spotlight on the Stories from The Block blog. Northwestern art scholars reflect on works in the collection by featured artists including Dawoud Bey, Robert Mapplethorpe, Joan Miró, Shan Goshorn, Purvis Young (pictured) and more.

Spending time social distancing outside? Tune in to past lectures and conversations from The Block’s audio archive on your walk.

For more #museumfromhome offerings and digital classroom content visit The Block from Home online.